A few newsletters back we featured a pic of a well chewed Richter skirt that had taken some good fish off Exmouth. This week we received an email from another happy angler in Charlie Saykao, reporting another Richter skirt had also done the trick for him in Exmouth. This time it was a purple Grassy skirt.

Charlie sent us this week's pic and these comments. 

"Hi Bluewater Staff. Just wanted to say thanks for putting us on the right spot. My brother (from Melbourne), two cousins (from Brisbane and Sydney) and I (from Albany) came into the Exmouth store last Saturday to ask for some info and stock up on some lures and gardies. We had an awesome time. It was unbelievable as we managed not to land 1 but 2 marlin in the 5 days fishing. Along with dozens of Spanish mackerel and tuna. It was all our first time chasing big game on my trusty 5.8m Pacemaker. Our magic skirt was a purple Richter Grassy. Attached is a photo that I am hoping you can use as part of your monthly update."

Thanks Charlie - glad to hear our advice did the trick and its always nice to hear of a lure being put to good use. 

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New on the site this week are two new high speed threadlines from Daiwa's new S-Extreme range.

Designed as a collaboration between Daiwa Japan and Daiwa Australia, the Saltiga S-Extremes represent the ultimate spinning reels.

Taking the best of the best features from the extensive range of Saltiga spinning reels to build one new high performance series for Australia, the new Saltiga S-Extreme are Daiwa's best heavy duty spinning reels.

Saltiga-S Extreme Maverick 4500H weighs 570g, and features high speed 5.7:1 gearing for 108cm per handle turn retrieve. Capacity 300m PE3, 220m PE4 40lb braided line. Thirteen ball bearings plus the roller bearing.

Saltiga-S Extreme Maverick 6500H weighs 830g, and the high speed 6.2:1 gearing retrieves 142cm per handle turn. Capacity 400m PE6, 300m PE8 80lb braided line. Thirteen ball bearings plus the roller bearing.

Bluewater will begin delivering Saltiga Mavericks in October 2009. Orders placed now have guaranteed availability. Check them out here.

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A new $10.4million Marine Operations Centre has been opened in Mandurah, about an hour's drive south of Perth and a popular fishing, crabbing and water sports centre.

Situated on Breakwater Parade at the Mandurah Ocean Marina, the new complex is an important base in the Peel region for four Government agencies.

Fisheries Minister Norman Moore said the purpose-built centre would incorporate the Department of Fisheries regional office as well as facilities for Water Police operations. It will also house staff from the departments of Water and Transport.

"Co-locating Government departments improves the community's convenience, helps reduce costs and can remove duplication of similar services," Mr Moore said.

"Mandurah's Marine Operations Centre will aid joint servicing arrangements for marine compliance, management and research, as well as the various maritime activities.

"This centre will also be home for the various land-based activities within the Peel region of all the occupying departments."

Police Minister Rob Johnson said the new Water Police base would enhance police operations and emergency responses in the Mandurah and South-West regions.

Mr Moore said the Department of Fisheries was engaged in monitoring, compliance and educational activities related to fishing and other marine activities in the Peel region and the new facilities would help retain and attract staff.

"Some officers are likely to come from the new intake of Fisheries and Marine officers, which is under way across the State as part of my efforts to improve the enforcement of the new recreational fishing regulations, which come into effect in October," Mr Moore said.

"The new centre will also enhance the administrative and logistic support for the Peel region's Fisheries volunteers, who form one of the State's most active groups within the department's volunteer program."

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Here's a preview of this week's Sunday Times fishing report...

METROPOLITAN  

Obtaining fishing reports after 16 days or so of tough weather is as hard as finding an English cricket fan not wanting to talk about the Ashes results. Joff Weston reckons the fish will be lining up in water from 30 to 40m deep offshore after the long series of fronts. He suggests the dhuies, baldies, pink snapper and king george will bite well with his magic depth 34 metres. There are reports of yellowfin tuna at the back of Rottnest, while the Three Mile is expected to again fish excellently for skippy, as it has in recent times. Fair numbers of squid are still around.

Skippy have been taken from northern marinas with herring activity better after a patchy time. Most rock walls have some of the smaller species around including whiting. Tailor are also described as patchy at best though Challenger Beach is producing a few. The Sound still yields squid. Pink snapper have been pursued with purpose during rough times with North Mole, Woodman Point and South Mole anglers having a try. One angler suffered the misfortune to lose two good size pinkies right at the base of South Mole rocks.

Finding black bream is also difficult with masses of discoloured fresh water moving out. A few successful anglers have been using boney herring fillets.Perth Water was a touch better for bream than spots further upstream.

MOORE RIVER  

Dirty water has made  targeting bream hard work for those flicking lures, but bait anglers have had some success near the mouth.

WEDGE ISLAND  

Coastal Angling Club members caught just the odd tailor and herring during a busy bee at their clubhouse at Wedge but were prevented from fishing their favourite skippy holes to the south of the settlement because of nearby Defence Force bombing. Previously, other club members, including veteran Steve Mertens, had done very well on the skippy. A shy mulloway chaser has landed some terrific fish in the Wedge area.  

JURIEN

Anthony Pintabona organised some of his mates to take a Jurien Seasports charter with Craig White, and despite some falling foul of the dreaded sea sickness the party enjoyed a huge day. White, who likes to have his anglers in small numbers, put the group on to fantastic snapper fishing. 

White then took them to a samson fish hot spot and was pleased to find the sambos so early in the season. The fishers used knife jigs to catch and release 15 sambos, the fish from 5-19kg.  

Shore fishers are catching skippy and herring, including from the jetty. Flathead and nice sand whiting have also been found off some beaches. With the Hill River flowing out, White suggests a trip there for mulloway on the next full moon.  

ALBANY  

As in most other places in the southern half of WA, fishing has been severely curtailed because of the weather. One bright spot  is the number of salmon about with Bluff Creek, Cheynes Beach and the Albany Salmon Holes all yielding fish at times but keeping an eye on the swell is important. A few herring and skippy are falso about with Cheynes in particular a skippy hot spot. Baits working better than lures with mulies recommended.

Small boat users are hugging the coast around the Sound when possible and are picking up some king george and sand whiting, flathead and squid. Middleton Beach and nearby Emu Point are fishing okay when the water is clear. The run up to high tide offers the best opportunities for this. Better king george were found at Two Peoples Bay.  

Bream fishing is fair with baits outfishing lures in the dirty water. Lures like Baby Vibs and soft plastics okay at times with most fish coming from deeper holes.  

EXMOUTH

This week's Exmouth newsletter can be viewed here.